On June 15, Ukraine launched a successful attack on Russia’s 2S4 Tyulpan self-propelled mortar system using HIMARS artillery. The attack took place near the village of Bilogorivka in Lugansk province and resulted in a large explosion and smoke rising into the sky. Several members of the operations team were seen motionless nearby, possibly dead or seriously injured.
The 2S4 Tyulpan is a formidable weapon, known as the world’s largest self-propelled mortar system, designed for destroying fortified fortifications and operating in urban warfare environments. With a caliber of 240 mm, a combat weight of 27.5 tons, and a range of up to 19.5 km with rocket-propelled range-enhancing bullets, it has advantages in firepower and high-angle firing capabilities. However, its limited mobility and ease of detection when operated in the open make it vulnerable to attacks like this one.
According to Oryx, Russia has lost a total of 50 2S4 Tyulpan complexes since the beginning of the conflict. Ukraine has previously used HIMARS artillery to successfully attack enemy heavy equipment like air defense missile launchers in Belgorod region. The specific type of cluster ammunition used in this recent attack on Russian 2S4 Tyulpan is unknown and there was no comment from Russian Ministry of Defense on this incident.
